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Indian River County deputies arrest teen suspected of attacking man, carjacking

Harry Swift said he was jumped and pistol-whipped behind the BP gas station off 43rd Avenue on January 24, 2019.

A 15-year-old is in custody in connection with a violent carjacking, according to the Indian River County Sheriff's Office.

Harry Swift said he was jumped and pistol-whipped behind the BP gas station off 43rd Avenue on January 24, 2019.

Swift was run over after his truck was stolen.

Vero Beach police found Swift's vehicle less than a mile from the scene.

“I broke my jaw, so my jaw was wired shut for a few days,” the 50-year-old Swift told WPTV five days after the attack. He said he also broke his hip and has two cracked ribs.

The sheriff's office said forensic evidence led them to their teenage suspect.

“With this evidence, justice will be served in this case for Mr. Swift. After several surgeries, Mr. Swift is home recovering," Indian River County Sheriff Deryl Loar said in a statement.

The juvenile suspect is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and carjacking with a deadly weapon and is currently being held at the Department of Juvenile Justice in Fort Pierce, the sheriff's office said.

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